Near's Successor
by fantastic.heather
Summary: It's twenty years in the future after the last episode of Death Note, and there's a lot to catch up on. For instance, Near is the world's most famous detective, and everyone knows the world's most famous detective must have his own successor...


**Just a kind note, before you go on. If you have not yet finished the Death Note series, I suggest not reading this fic. It's got plenty of spoilers in it for you, and I would hate to be the one who busted your bubble. **

**Thank you, and I hope you like it! :D**

**

* * *

**

Near's Successor, a Formal Introduction:

"And all the Death Notes are destroyed?"

Near put his thumb to his lips and chewed. He knew he did this because he saw L doing it all the time, but he didn't think about it at that moment. He had many other things to think about right now, and none of them included his dead idol.

"Yes… well, we're pretty darn sure."

"'Pretty darn sure' doesn't always cut it," Near said in an icy tone. Then he sighed and ran his fingers through his unnatural white hair, and let his eyes drift shut. "I'm sorry," he said in an uncharacteristically soft voice. "I'm just a little… frayed. That's understandable, right?"

The man standing next to Near nodded, but he wasn't so sure himself. He knew that Near had to go back to being levelheaded and calm like he normally was, before something bad happened. The man (who called himself Dallas) had never seen Near like this before. It scared him a little bit.

(Dallas had not been on the taskforce when Kira was alive and killing twenty years ago, so he had not seen Near then. He only knew the almost forty year old Near with the sunk in wrinkles and constant sad look on his face. The white hair was still there.)

"Will you go get Keehl for me, please, Dallas?"

This request was not a surprise. Whenever Near was feeling especially frayed or overworked, he asked for Keehl, a boy about fifteen years old who was learning to be just like a second Near. Dallas knew enough to conclude that Near was doing this for his own safety purposes, so that if anything happened to Near, Keehl would take over. Dallas also heard that Near was raised to be one of those people for the famous detective that died twenty or so years back.

"Do you want him to bring his toys?"

"No, I don't want to train him today. Just talk."

_This, _however, was weird. Usually Near didn't want to contact Keehl unless it was for training purposes. Dallas never asked, but he figured that Near didn't even like the kid. He treated him more like colleague than someone he helped raise.

_Who am I kidding? The girl crushing on Near for a gazillion years was the one who raised him, not Near himself._

Dallas remembered the details of Keehl coming into their lives clearly, like it was just last night, even though it has been fifteen years ago. Near came home one night with a crying baby, and Melinda (the woman who was just like Near's wife, without the formality or the requited love) graciously took him in her care. Soon enough, the little baby became a part of everyone's life. No one who knew him didn't care about him.

_Guess that holds true to this day, too_, Dallas thought with a big goofy grin on his face. Keehl was an amazing kid, even at fifteen. When Dallas and he would watch a murder mystery on TV, Keehl would know who had done it before the second commercial break. Dallas was always mad and amazed.

Now he found himself standing in front of the boy's room, which was only five doors away from his own. As soon as the whole Kira business was over with, Near had constructed a mansion and hired fifteen bodyguards, twenty other detectives, and a lot more maids, cooks, and housekeepers to live inside it. Dallas was just one of them. He liked to think of himself as Near's best friend, but he could never tell with that guy. He certainly liked to think that Keehl loved him like he loved Keehl.

"Keehl? Come here you little turd, Near wants ya."

Dallas's Texan accent was still thick, and he was well aware of it any time Keehl was around, because Keehl loved to poke fun at it. That, and because Keehl had a perfect British accent that reminded everyone who heard it of silky butter.

Dallas heard a moan from the other side of the door. Then, slowly, the door opened and Dallas saw Keehl, still dressed in plaid pajamas. The boy ran his long fingers through his dark, greasy black hair. His eyes were this odd piercing blue color that everyone who lived in the mansion agreed were both haunting and beautiful.

There was nothing boyish about this teenager anymore, except the few freckles that still kissed his cheeks. Dallas was glad for them, because he didn't want Keehl to grow up too fast. Not yet, at least.

"Near wants me? _Really_?"

Dallas nodded.

"_Now_?"

Dallas laughed. "Come on, Keehl. You know Near is a little antsy these days. No one knows _why_…"

"He's found another Death Note." Dallas looked down at the boy with his eyebrows knitted together, and found the boy looking matter-of-factly back up at him, his eyes swimming. "Didn't you know this? Jeez, you're Near's head bodyguard and you didn't know this."

"He doesn't tell a lot of his business, Keehl." Although Dallas knew this was true, his heart hurt. Why would Near not tell him there was another Death Note on the loose? This was something he should know! This was something serious!

Keehl chuckled and pat Dallas's shoulder. _That boy is getting too tall, _he thought grimly. _He's almost to my chin._

"It's okay, Tex. Now why does Near want me at this time of day?"

"It's two o'clock, Keehl. Hardly early at all."

"Oh, is it? It feels like five in the morning."

"Have you been sleeping all day?" The incredulous tone in Dallas's voice was very apparent. Keehl shrunk black, a blush filling his pale face. Dallas wanted to scream at him and put him in a time out or something, but Keehl was too old for that now. Dallas took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Go to Near now. We'll talk about this later."

Keehl gave Dallas and apologetic and grateful smile and ran down the hall, on his way to Near.

When he was gone, Dallas wondered three things.

_When no one else was around, what did Near and Keehl talk about?_

_When will that boy realize he doesn't want to be Near's successor? And... what will happen when he does?_

_

* * *

_

**No, it's not that great! And you know why? Because it's late at night and I had this brilliant idea and I just typed it out. It's only an introduction, guys, to **_**introduce **_**my idea. More will come if people are interested and… think it's a good idea.**

**I do not own the anime/manga Death Note, nor do I own the character Near. However, Dallas, Keehl, and Melinda are made up by me and are from my own stupid mind.**

**Speaking of Keehl, anyone recognize that name? ^^**

**Thanks for reading! Review if it's not too much trouble. **


End file.
